Charles Dale Saviers

Charles Dale Saviers, 85, of Eufaula, passed away on Thursday, August 22, 2019. He was born on June 14, 1934, in Poteau, Oklahoma the younger of two sons of Clarence and Roscie Miller Saviers. He graduated from Poteau High School and received his bachelor"s degree in English from Oklahoma City University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. He then attended graduate school at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University where he received his Bachelor of Divinity degree. At the age of 16, Charles felt the call to preach. He started as a youth director and later became a member of a youth delegation team. He also worked in both the Junior and Senior High camps as a counselor and teacher. Charles was ordained a Deacon in the Oklahoma Annual Conference of the Methodist Church in 1957 and an Elder in 1959. During his near 50-year career in ministry, Charles served numerous Methodist Churches, beginning his career in Porum, then Muskogee, Hinton, Guymon, Piedmont, Mustang, Eufaula/Canadian, Cushing, Woodward, Chickasha, Tulsa and then back to Canadian, Krebs and Alderson. While serving in his districts, Charles was instrumental in several areas including building new buildings, starting summer youth camping programs, reorganizing the Ministerial Alliance, organizing Alcoholics Anonymous, and helping with the Boy Scouts. Charles served in many parts of the Oklahoma Annual Conference including the Television, Radio and Film Commission, the Board of Ordained Ministry, the Board of Pensions, the Insurance Committee and the Scholarship Committee. Charles married Frances Milam and to this union two sons were born. He later married Betty Lee Oney on July 3, 1980. They were happily married for thirty years before she passed on February 12, 2011. At his retirement, Charles and Betty moved to Lake Eufaula. He became the pastor/coordinator of the Lake Eufaula United Ministry. He served the Lake Ministry for twenty years. Also, during his retirement, Charles served as president for the Eagle Bluff Area Community Association. He was instrumental in working with the County Commissioner to acquire federal funds for a new boat ramp and road to the boat ramp. Charles was a member of the Masonic Lodge #1 of Eufaula and was a 32 degree Mason. He was also a long-time member of the Eufaula Lions Club and served as program chair or president during the last ten years of its existence. The highlights of Charles' life were the yearly Colorado camping and fishing trips that he made with his two sons that began when they were in grade school and continued into their adulthood. In addition to fishing, Charles enjoyed gardening, working on cars, helping others, and was an avid sports fan, particularly the OKC Thunder. In recent years, he always looked forward to having lunch and visiting with his friends at the Eufaula Senior Citizens Center, as well as the Friendship Kitchen held each Saturday at the Eufaula United Methodist Church. Charles was preceded in death by his parents, brother Dr. Boyd Saviers of Fort Smith AR, and wife Betty. Charles is survived by his son Dale Saviers, wife Julia and granddaughter Kate of Redmond WA, son Allen Saviers, wife Linda and granddaughter Addison of Sapulpa OK, stepdaughters Patricia Oney McCall of Dallas TX and Elizabeth Oney Ellis of Denison TX, and stepson Darr King Oney of Dallas TX. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Charles" memory to either Oklahoma United Methodist Circle of Care at http://circleofcare.org, or United Methodist UMCOR Global Ministries at http://umcor.org.